Pakistan army kills 30 militants trying to cross from Afghanistan: Here's all we know

Pakistan army said on Friday (July 4) that it has killed 30 militants attempting to cross the border from Afghanistan over the last three days, after 16 soldiers died in a suicide attack in the same frontier region last week. The militants belonged to the Pakistan Taliban or its affiliated groups, the military said in a statement, accusing arch foe India of backing them. "The security forces demonstrated exceptional professionalism, vigilance, preparedness, and prevented a potential catastrophe," it said. A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered," the statement added. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the security forces for "thwarting an infiltration attempt".

The killings took place in the border district of North Waziristan, where last week 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack claimed by a faction of the Pakistan Taliban. The killings took place in the border district of North Waziristan, where last week 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack claimed by a faction of the Pakistan Taliban. The Pakistani prime minister’s statement also accused India of fomenting militancy in Pakistan. Islamabad has also routinely blamed its western neighbour Afghanistan, for allowing militant groups to operate on its soil.

Russia becomes first country to recognise Afghanistan’s Taliban government

Meanwhile, Russia became the first nation to recognise Taliban as legitimate government in Afghanistan. Russia has accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan as part of an ongoing drive to build friendly relations with the country’s Taliban authorities, which seized power as United States troops withdrew from the country four years ago. “We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields,” said the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Thursday.